6 Beautiful Shutter Colors for Gray Houses That Will Elevate Your Aesthetic
Get some hooray in your gray
Gray is a timelessly popular exterior paint color, largely due to its versatility. It pairs well with many different shades, allowing you to experiment and play with the colors of your shutters and trim. But if you have a dark or light gray house, what color shutters should you choose for the best effect? A few options stand above the rest, and we’ve rounded them up to present you with the six best shutter colors for gray houses.
As you might imagine, shutters can be difficult to paint cleanly. From their many panels to the fact that some may be on higher stories of your home, we don’t blame you if this is a project you’d rather not tackle alone. If that’s the case, reach out to a local exterior painter who can ensure a job done well, safely, and quickly. Depending on how many shutters you need to paint, you could pay as little as $125 to get a pro’s help, but most people will pay around $350 to change the shutter colors on their gray house.
1. Black
Black shutters on a gray house is a classic but bold combo. The black pops against a lighter gray, and when paired with white or beige trim, black shutters create a stunning contrast. There are many black shades available, some deeper in saturation and others softer and more bluish in tone; choose one that works well with your shade of gray and feels appropriately dramatic for your own personal style.
For inspiration:
Farrow & Ball Pitch Black
Benjamin Moore® Graphite
Sherwin-Williams Black Magic
Sherwin-Williams Tricorn Black
2. Navy
Navy blue shutters set against a gray house feel delightfully nautical, and it’s a bold choice without the harsher feel of black. The color pairing is soothing, and it works especially well with white trim. To give your home some extra playfulness, you might consider painting your front door a bold color like red.
For inspiration:
Sherwin-Williams Naval
Benjamin Moore® Polo Blue
Farrow & Ball Hague Blue
Clare Goodnight Moon
3. Dark Gray
If your home is light gray, think about painting your shutters a darker shade of gray. Gray-on-gray is a classic choice with a big mood, suggesting the calm after a rainstorm or smoke coming out of a chimney on a cold winter’s night. Look into grays with a touch of green in them to add some depth.
For inspiration:
Clare Irony
Benjamin Moore® Lead Gray
Sherwin-Williams Wall Street
Benjamin Moore® Deep River
4. White
White shutters can work with gray homes of nearly any shade, and they help to make your windows look larger. Pay attention to the paint’s undertones to make sure you select the right white paint shade. You can opt for a bright white with cool undertones against a dark gray home or a stark white for a light gray home. The former offers a little more character than a completely monochromatic paint job while maintaining elegance and subtlety.
For inspiration:
Sherwin-Williams Snowbound
C2 Paint Milk Moustache
Benjamin Moore® Chantilly Lace
BEHR® Frost
5. Sage
If you’ve got impressive landscaping, allow your home to highlight it and show it off. Sage green shutters create visual balance between your home and any greenery that surrounds it. Paired with gray, sage shutters give your home a grounded, organic vibe.
For inspiration:
Benjamin Moore® Saybrook Sage
Benjamin Moore® Texas Sage
Benjamin Moore® Kennebunkport Green
Clare All The Sage
6. Teal
If sage or a neutral doesn’t offer the drama you’re after, teal might be the color you need. Choosing teal will give you many of the same effects as sage but with more punch. Teal, because it falls in the blue family, still has a calming effect, but it’s playful and modern. You can opt for more muted teals or something more saturated and bold—both work well with gray, especially ones on the lighter side.
For inspiration:
Sherwin-Williams Really Teal
Sherwin-Williams Cloudburst
Benjamin Moore® Largo Teal
Frequently Asked Questions
The first thing is to consider the main color of your home and determine which colors will complement it. You should place paint samples on your siding and look at them at different times of the day so you can see the way the sun (and shade) affect how they appear. Also note that lighter colors will make your windows look larger, while the opposite is true for darker colors.
Black shutters are very popular because of their versatility and the fact that they complement a variety of other colors. The other foundational color, white, is another extremely popular choice for the same reason. Both colors have the power to pack a punch, whether the rest of your home is painted deep blue or light gray.
You’ll find that many people select gloss or semi-gloss paints for trim and shutters. Shinier paints will allow the details of your shutters to stand out, which you wouldn’t want to use for interior painting projects for fear of revealing scratches and other imperfections. On the outside, however, glossy finishes can give your home charm and character. If you’re confused about which finish to choose, talk to a painting company near you for further advice.